The Foreign Minister on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz: All forms of hatred, discrimination and inciting intolerance are inadmissible

27.01.2015

Today, on January 27, when 70 years have passed since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, the victims of the horrors of World War II are being commemorated. The United Nations has declared this day International Holocaust Memorial Day.

According to Estonian Foreign Minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, Estonia has condemned all crimes against humanity, including the Holocaust. “A horrific chapter of World War II ended with the release of those who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp,” the Foreign Minister said. “Any form of hatred, intolerance or incitement of intolerance is unacceptable and Estonia stands firmly against it,” she said.

Pentus-Rosimannus added that the history of the Holocaust needs to be studied in order to understand the importance of fighting against anti-Semitism, intolerance and the spread of racism. “Prevention through education, research and international cooperation are needed so that horrific crimes against humanity are never repeated,” Pentus-Rosimannus said. Since 2007, Estonia has participated in the work of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance as a member state.

In Estonia, victims of the Holocaust are commemorated at the site of the Klooga death camp founded by the Nationalist Socialist occupation of the time, where one of the monuments dedicated to the memory of the victims is located.